


As I Wake

by teaseofnight



Series: Sun and Moon [6]
Category: Super Junior
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 05:39:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4210002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teaseofnight/pseuds/teaseofnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyuhyun has nightmares that only Donghae can extinguish. Set before A Star’s Aria.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As I Wake

He was running.

            His lungs ached for air, burning with the need of oxygen.

            It didn’t matter where he was running to, but there was desperation growing inside of him. There was a light that stood at the end of the path he was running on, and he felt the need to keep on running, to find out why he was running so hard. However, even as he eventually reached the end, there was nothing. A flurry of scattered petals greeted him, the familiar hymn of the mourning ringing in his ears.

            His surroundings changed in a flash, bringing him to a chapel filled with the scent of irises lingering in the air.  His breathing grew heavy, his eyes burning with tears threatening to come forth as he recognized the smell. The hymn grew louder as he slowly began to walk closer to what was in the middle of the room, surrounded by the candles his people held only for those who had departed. The flames flickered at his steps, the shadows in the room growing bigger and darker – enough to cover the other half of the chapel.

            As he stepped closer, his eyes landed on the open casket engraved with golden twines and the crest of their kingdom embedded into the middle – the Sun with its rays surrounding it.

            The sight was so familiar to him, it sent his lurching, filling with his entire body with chills.

            Eyes widening a fraction, Kyuhyun continued to walk closer to the casket until he finally reached it. As he gazed down at it, his breath hitched.

            It was his father just as he remembered him to be.

            Aged with wisdom, his entire presence that demanded attention, but with a personality that resembled the star he ruled over. It was a sight of his father he nearly had forgotten, but a sight he had engraved into his mind ever since he heard the news of his father’s death. The Sun King’s passing was one of shock, nearly stunning the entire kingdom into silence for a week. His father was loved, respected even by his enemies, and ruled his kingdom with such warmth that even the other kingdoms could only talk with great respect when it came towards him.

            Even now, when he lied in that casket dressed in the ceremonial robes reserved only for the deceased, he still looked as regal as the last time Kyuhyun had seen him.

            With a shaky hand, he attempted to reach down to touch his father, only to gasp aloud when his father’s hand suddenly shot out and grabbed his wrist. Eyes wide, he tried to yank his hand back, his breathing quickly growing uneven.

            _“Kyuhyun, how dare you do this? How dare you leave this all behind?”_

Kyuhyun whimpered, shaking his head frantically. When he finally managed to pry his hand away, his surroundings changed once more to the front of the church where there was a gathering of people, all of them dressed in pure white robes dedicated to the deceased. His breathing continued to quicken, almost hurting his lungs as he fought against the depression trying to settle in on him. His eyes roamed around, his panic gradually increasing whenever it landed on the flags displaying the royal family’s crest.

            He took a step back when the trumpets sounded, beginning the usual mourning song held in ceremony.

            Fear overtook him and he started running again; he didn’t care where – he just needed to get away.

            _“Where is the young Sun Prince?”_

_“Do you mean Kyuhyun? I heard he ran away.”_

_“How rude of him. He should be here.”_

_“Leave him be. It’s not for us to decide for him.”_

_“Such a selfish child for not even coming to his own father’s funeral.”_

Kyuhyun placed his hands on his ears to block out their words, his eyes shutting close.

            _“What a useless child he is; all he’s good for is looking pretty.”_

_“A disgrace, really.”_

_“Should he really hold the mantle of being an heir to the Sun?”_

_“He’s worth nothing.”_

The words continued to spin around in Kyuhyun’s head, imprinting themselves into his mind. He tried his best to ignore it all, needing all of his sanity to get through whatever this was. However, he could continue to hear their words, hear their disdain for his behavior towards his way of grieving for his father. He whimpered to himself as the words continued to echo in his head like a broken record player.

            _“Kyuhyun, my little prince, always remember to smile,”_ he could hear his father’s voice saying. _“Smile like the Sun – like the star you are. You are worth so much more than you allow yourself to believe. Always remember that you are precious – you are my little prince.”_

Whimpering, Kyuhyun reluctantly opened his eyes to find himself standing in front of a forest’s entrance marked with the Sun’s crest. He stared at it, feeling himself grow hesitant at even thinking about entering the forest. He knew what was waiting for him within; his father’s burial site was there, the golden pedestal erected in his honor standing proudly over it with his name engraved. Kyuhyun didn’t want to take the first step; he didn’t want to look at it. When his father died, Kyuhyun was afraid of going to see it with his own eyes as he felt he would only prove himself to be the disappointment he believed himself to be. For someone like him who lived in the shadow of his brother’s brilliant light, he had no right to go see his father.

            _“Is that what you think, Kyuhyun?”_

Eyes widening, Kyuhyun watched as the scenery around him shimmer, almost similar to ripples in water when it was touched. It changed from the forest to that of a familiar setting – the lake his night had taken him in order to meet Bada, his dragon. He realized he was standing on the bridge and turned around in time to see the older prince appear from the shadows, wisps of it vanishing from the outline of his body into nothingness.

            “Donghae?”

            Donghae gave him a smile, one that immediately sent warmth down Kyuhyun’s body. “Good evening, dear light.”

            “But…how…”

            “You are my prince – my light,” the older prince told him as he stepped closer to the younger. “And because of our bond, it enables me to come into your dreams whenever you’re feeling in turmoil.”

            Kyuhyun stared at him. “Does that mean…”

            The Sun Prince didn’t even need to finish his question; the smile on Donghae’s face proved it all. Closing his eyes, he lowered his head as he hugged himself tightly, feeling weaker than before.  “I can’t do it. No matter what I do, I can’t.”

            “Dear light,” came the soft call of his treasured name that only the Moon Prince was allowed to call him, “there is no need to for such concern, but you must know that you cannot simply push back your fear forever.”

            Looking up at him, Kyuhyun frowned deeply. “How can I face it, then? Everything that I’ve done in my life – including you – what if…what if my father hated it? What if he disapproves of the way I am living now simply because I cannot live up to the expectations he had of me?”

            The Moon Prince hummed, his dark eyes staring intently at Kyuhyun. “Do you regret loving me?”

            “Wha—No!” The Sun Prince immediately protested, looking hurt at having his love even think of such a thing. “I will never regret loving you, Donghae.”

            “Then why are you in turmoil?” Donghae wondered. “Kyuhyun, your father only ever wanted the best for you. Not once did he have such expectations of you that have involved you throwing away your happiness. You did not disappoint him; all he ever wanted was for you to be happy.”

            “But I’m one of the Sun princes – his youngest heir, and I…”

            “I do not know what has happened in your past, but I do know what is going on in your present. You are happy – you are living a life filled with such brightness that it can rival the star your family rules over. Your smile is the brightest; it brings warmth to those around you. Your light is brilliant and magnificent; you are the envy of all of the others in the galaxy,” Donghae told him in a gentle voice, his smile unwavering. “Dear light, you are worth so much more than you know, and your smiles are proof of that.”

            Eyes widening, Kyuhyun stared at the older prince. His last few words reminded him so much of his father’s, and he wondered if he was only allowing himself to be a coward. As soon as the words sank into his mind, his cheeks became dusted with pink, feeling silly for his fears.

            “I’m sorry.”

            Chuckling, Donghae shook his head, wrapping his arms around the younger man. “There is no need to be sorry. It’s understandable that you’re afraid of meeting your father again, but always keep in mind that the only thing your father ever wanted for you to do was to be happy. You don’t have to be someone different or even be afraid.”

            Kyuhyun slowly nodded, finally allowing a small smile to grave his lips. “You’re right…Thank you, Donghae.”

            “Anything for you, dear light.” The Moon Prince pressed a kiss against the younger’s forehead before pulling back. “Now, I believe it’s time for you to wake up. You’ve been sleeping long enough.”

            “Will I see you when I wake?”

            Donghae hummed softly as he brushed his fingers against Kyuhyun’s cheek before giving him a light kiss. “Always; I shall see you in the waking world.”

            Nodding, Kyuhyun experienced a shift in his surroundings before everything turned black.

\---

            He stared at his father’s grave, the bouquet of white lilies clutched in his hands.

            Fear wasn’t his enemy today – it was hesitance.

            It was his first time officially visiting his father’s grave at so many years of trying to avoid it altogether. Just the mere sight of it alone sent chills down his spine, unable to find the warmth he would usually associate with his father. It made him tighten his grip on the bouquet, but he steeled himself and walked forward until he reached the pedestal.

            “Hello, father,” Kyuhyun greeted softly as he knelt in front of the pedestal, “I’m sorry this is my first time visiting you after your death. It was cowardly of me to avoid it, but I realize now that my fears of you not accepting me were a foolish notion. You once told me before that my smiles are worth so much more than I led myself to believe – that its light was enough to rival that against the sun’s. You told me that I was your precious little prince, and I still want to remain that way, but everything has changed now, too. I’ve found someone who loves me, someone who treasures me. He is different because his light isn’t as bright as ours; his is dim, but beautiful in a stunning way – so much different than how our Sun beams down on our people.”

            Kyuhyun closed his mouth, staring silently at the pedestal before lowering his head.

            “I know it’s much too late now, but I still wish to ask you for your blessing. He is a kind man, lovable and endearing. If you had ever met him, I’m sure you would find him just as so. You’ve always did love people whose light shone the brightest within the galaxy. He calls me his ‘dear light’, and it warms my heart every time I hear it, even though I don’t tell him. But I love him greatly, and if it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t be here right now. I owe it all to him, and I desperately wish you would approve of my choice.”

            “I’m sure he does, Kyuhyun.”

            Startled by the voice, Kyuhyun turned around to see Donghae entering the clearing, followed by Hyukjae. He gave the two older men a smile which they returned warmly with their own. Turning back to the pedestal, Kyuhyun gave a low bow of respect before running over to the two, immediately being encased within Donghae’s arms.

            “What are you doing here?” Kyuhyun asked of the Moon Prince, earning a chuckle.

            Donghae shared a look with the eldest Sun Prince before looking back at his beloved. “Hyuk invited me to come over. He said that it’d be a good idea to stay over for a few days just so that you don’t get any more nightmares.”

            Kyuhyun glowered at his brother, who simply smirked back at him.

            As the two brothers began to bicker with one another, the Moon Prince’s eyes slid over to the grave, a hint of a smile appearing on his lips when he noticed an outline of a silhouette standing over it.

            _“Be happy, my little prince. Let your smiles outshine the sun, let its light ring of purity to the other planets. You have chosen well, and I will forever be happy with whatever choice you make. For you are my little prince, my little sunlight. Never forget that I love you, regardless of the choices that you make.”_


End file.
